Tag Archive: 1942

Southern Pacific Railroad did not often apologize but in 1942 they ran a series of ads explaining the changes on the line. As World War II increased demands for moving troops and material across the country the road had to make choices. They explained that the old timetables would not be followed. Victory Trains now …

For a number of years the Tribune has published the year in pictures a selection of local images selected by photographers and editors. They have been a popular feature and the paper has had strong visual journalism since the early 1960s. Before that the quality level gets thin. There was a photographer on staff named …

Rationing would take effect as 1943 was about to dawn and in San Luis Obispo there was a run on canned meat. Local shoppers were suspected of hoarding. San Luis Obispo postmaster William C. O’Donnell said that Christmas volume was the highest ever. Special trains were scheduled to pick up the extra mail. Official word …

The December 17, 1942 edition of the Telegram-Tribune contained good news for Cal Poly. The college had been threatened with closure at various times during its early history but now it had a war assignment. The U.S. Navy chose Cal Poly as one of 20 colleges with Naval Flight Preparatory schools. A minimum of 600 …

Brief items from the Dec. 9, 1942 Telegram Tribune. The post office was taking on extended hours to handle the volume of Christmas mail. Both the holiday and growing military bases were straining the system. The state board of equalization was scheduled to enforce a midnight liquor curfew starting this evening. Twenty boys in Chicago …

Truth in wartime is elusive. The Telegram-Tribune edition of December 7, 1942 illustrates the point. One year after the attack at Pearl Harbor concrete details were finally being released to the general public. Though it had been hinted at for the previous year the story that ran in this issue had a level of detail …

November 1942 would end with a series major news stories requiring big headline type. November 23, 1942 • American bombers sink a Japanese ship in Haiphong, Indo-China [Viet Nam]. • San Luis Obispo experienced butter and egg shortages. November 24, 1942 • The Soviet army launched an offensive that threatened the entire Nazi position along …

Axis armies in North Africa were under attack from both sides, Americans in the west and British in the east were pressing hard. The Nazi army was also locked in a desperate battle to take Stalingrad as winter approached the Russian interior. The Allies were hopeful they had reached a turning point against Germany that …

November 10, 1942 brought the opening of a new ground battle. American ground troops had crossed the Atlantic and were ashore in Algeria and Morocco, on the way to a fight with Nazi forces in North Africa. Lt. Gen. Dwight Eisenhower was leading the fight. French Vichy troops were encouraged to surrender and brought under …

Even during a war that required a concentrated effort from society, elections were held. California voters had to wade through 18 propositions in addition to major state government seats. (Preliminary returns show Prop. 6 – Establishment of a board of forestry, appears to be winning, Prop. 5 – Pay raises for legislators, loses and Prop. …